Things That Hurt - Pricefield
by dreamptist
Summary: Oneshot of Max and Chloe. Max doesn't have her powers. Max let him go too far. Chloe's there to heal her wounds, even if not completely.


Things That Hurt

Chloe thought it would be a good idea to go surprise her favorite hipster, unannounced and unabashed at her dorm as usual. Sneaking up the stairwell in the dark, her boots making dusty thuds on each case, she would never have suspected something to be awry that evening. At one in the morning, who even thinks that trouble could be on the radar, let alone anyone else? Until she reached Max's landing, and besides the eerie quiet that resided in each function, Max's door was the only one cracked open.

The only door also emanating weak stutters and stabs at steading breath. Someone's…crying? Chloe took caution as she noted the sliver of moon showing through the open door. She raised her hand to knock, but instead pushed it far enough so that she could slip inside. It was better off that she had.

She looked small and awful and fragile. She was choking on each wave of tears, and barely glanced at Chloe through her puffy eyes as she muttered. "Please, j-just go away." Max was sitting on her bed, her trembling back to the wall.

Ignoring her, Chloe reached out to grasp Max's shoulder, giving her a small nudge as she angled her face to look at Max's. "Who did this?" She demanded, whispering it just harsh enough that Max stared deeply at her, wondering whether or not to answer. "N-no one…" It was costing her everything to hold together the little dignity she had left. Chloe could see her falling apart already. Over again.

"I can get them back, you know that, Max…Max?" Max had cupped her palms to her cheeks, wiping at them aggressively. Chloe leaned an arm over the bedspread as a harsh stutter and another desperate attempt to turn away distracted her. She was about to gently interrogate her further when something wet made contact with her fingers. And it couldn't be tears, because not even tears amount to a puddle that big. "Max…What is that?" Her own voice was shaking. The dark texture on the pale linens made her jump back, gazing at her fingers in horror. Blood. It was blood all over the bedsheets, and now glimmering in the moonlight on her fingertips.

"He… He couldn't help it. He didn't know, Chloe… He didn't know." Max burst into tears again as Chloe feared the worst. Chloe eyed her so nervously that it made Max even more frightened. Before she could turn away again, Chloe took her arm. Gently, but with a firm grip. "C'mon. We…we gotta clean this up." Chloe pretended not to eye the dark spot on Max's jeans where the blood was still stemming from.

"Please. No, Chloe…"

"I can't just leave you like this." Shot Chloe, her panic feasting on her feelings.

Max assumed she was taking her to the girl's showers, which would be so dark and scary at this hours, she didn't want to go. Instead, Chloe was dragging her off down the stairs, half carrying her in consideration of her wounds, to the Blackwell parking lot. "You sure you can walk? Tell me if I'm going too fast."

"It's okay, Chloe."

"Well apparently it's fucking not." Chloe said in a worried tone. She was genuinely, intensely concerned about Max. One of the rare times she wasn't quipping stoically at something or taking her on a journey. They reached the car, and Chloe She just wanted Max to be alright. Jamming her keys into the pick up's ignition, they were off. Chloe held Max's arm during the car ride. Any time Max would wince as the truck bumped along the pavement, Chloe would acutely adjust her driving, and squeeze Max's arm a little tighter. She was scared about seeing her friend in pain. And not in a fall-off-the-swing kind of way.

"Ok. We're here." The ride halted with a jagged parking detour and Chloe unbuckled herself to help Max out from the passenger side. Her house was the ideal safe at this point, now to get Max out of the car. "Christ, I'm sorry." Max noted the stain she'd left in the seat. There were bigger things to worry about. "Shut up and get down here." Chloe was holding out her arm, apparently oblivious to the seat stain, or not caring.

She was watching Max carefully, studying her face for any sudden signs of pain as she helped her get down. "Is Joyce home?" It was an awkward question to ask as Chloe was escorting her into the house, and leading them up the stairs. "Asleep." Replied Chloe, muffled as she was balancing her car keys between her teeth, one arm around Max, the other firm on the bannister.

Upon reaching the top of the stairs, Max whispered "Which way?" Chloe jerked her head in the direction of the bathroom, flicking the lights on and shutting the door.

The blood looked so much worse in the glaring fluorescents. "What the _hell_ did he do to you?" Chloe shook her head, swearing to kill the bastard who'd hurt Max if she ever caught him. Max didn't respond. She was quiet as Chloe leaned over bathtub, adjusting a few knobs till the rush of water was thudding in their ears, the steam rising in floating puffs. Standing straight so she was observing Max again, Chloe's eyes lingered. "Alright. Undress here, I can get you some clothes from my room." Max nodded, but was waiting for Chloe to leave. When she didn't, Max interrupted.

"Oh…sorry. Right." Chloe walked out quickly, probably to avoid any cheeky remarks at the obvious blush forming on her face. She shut the door to leave Max to herself.

Max took a couple of deep, steadying breaths. Chloe's house was a familiar place. Uncountable numbers of visits, it was nearly her own home. She felt safer here than at any shower stall at Blackwell anyway. Pulling off her shirt and stained jeans, she removed the other under garments as well until she was in the nude, the way she'd been a couple of hours before. There was a guilty feeling that followed her as she stared at her reflection in the medicine cabinet, a feeling of uncleanliness and disgusting lowliness. Her thighs still had rough imprints where they'd been gripped, and running her fingers over the delicate areas made her shiver. She'd never meant to tempt him anyway. Things just escalated, and she hadn't been ready. Or wanting.

And he'd been greedy. So unimaginably hungry that she hadn't been able to get away. Max shut her eyes miserably just thinking about it. She wished a hundred times that she could be somewhere else, as he pinned her arms down. His large hands, his strong grip, she wanted it all to go away. She was there again, seeing herself being taken advantage of. It made her sick. With a blink, Max was back in the bathroom.

"Warning, Chloe Price is now entering the premises." Came her best friend's wry hum as she opened the door, placing a couple of clean, fresh garments on the sink. Max impulsively covered her breasts, which didn't do much to hide the small bruises on her thighs, and the red streak trailing down to her calf. "C'mon." Chloe took one of Max's hands, guiding her in to the tub. Max's breath quickened as she stepped in, one foot at a time. As she lowered herself in, gripping Chloe's hand, rapid tears fell onto her knees and into the water.

"Does it hurt that bad?" Chloe was searching urgently for back up medication in her cabinets. Although the initial burn of the water on her bruised skin had faded, the pain of the memories followed Max. Holding her knees tight and watching as the water lapped at her wounds, she whimpered in soreness and humiliation. "I'm okay, Chloe." She whispered, scared to death to scream. The pain building up in her was driving her to do so, and she wanted nothing more than to yell, and drown out the trauma. That wasn't how she was supposed to lose her virginity… Even more tears, and she was sucking in shallow breath in gulps too big, her stomach feeling tight.

"Max," Chloe's voice was shaking. "you have to help me find a way to make you stop hurting." She was crying too. _Who was he?_ Hot tears burned down Max's collar bone. She felt Chloe grip her shoulder, felt her caress along her arm and stop on the faint bruises. There was a moment, which could have been mistaken for an eternity, when Chloe rested her head against Max's shoulder, and said nothing. Max let the other hand that had been clutching at her own chest fall, and felt ok with it. Chloe was here. Chloe wouldn't let him hurt her again. _Never again._

Without saying anything else, Chloe left the bathroom to let Max actually clean herself up and get dressed. When the water had drained and she'd managed to fit into a loose, flannel shirt, Max shut off the light and entered Chloe's bedroom. She could see Chloe's outline, stretched out on the bed and face down, seemingly tuckered out. "You awake?" Max whispered through the darkness.

"Yeah." Chloe patted the space of bed next to her, and Max sat down.

"Do you feel better?"

"I do." Max leaned over and kissed the top of Chloe's head.

Chloe watched as Max slowly lay down beside her, and stared up at the ceiling. "But I mean, do you feel alright?" She propped herself on one elbow. Maybe Max would never let loose the details, and she could understand now why she wouldn't want to. But keeping her safe was the only thing she cared about at this point.

"Yes, Chloe, I'm alright. Please don't worry about me."

"That's just my luck." Chloe sighed.

 _I will anyway._


End file.
